New Delhi: Amid continuing uncertainty over the fate of the India-US civil nuclear deal, US President George W Bush on Monday rang up Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and discussed the nuclear deal and the implications of the North Korean nuclear test for the global non-proliferation order.
In a telephone conversation that lasted 10 minutes, the two leaders also discussed a slew of issues, including the resurgence of the Taliban militia in Afghanistan and the course of the India-Pakistan peace process.
India has shared evidence with the US about the alleged complicity of Pakistan in the July 11 Mumbai train blasts that killed at least 187 and injured hundreds. New Delhi will present the evidence to Islamabad during the foreign-secretary level talks next month.
" Manmohan Singh received a telephone call from President George W Bush on Monday evening. This was an opportunity for both leaders to exchange views on current matters," said a statement by the external affairs ministry.
"The issues discussed include the Doha round of trade negotiations, the India-US Civil nuclear cooperation understanding, developments in the region including Pakistan and Afghanistan, and recent developments in North Korea," the statement added.
Early this month, US ambassador to India David C Mulford had said that both Republicans and Democrats were trying their best to see that the deal is put to vote when the US Congress meets for its lame duck session in November.
The American envoy, however, also indicated that the Senate vote and the consequent Congressional process to approve the nuclear deal could get deferred till next year.
"If the deal does not get the Senate vote and the presidential signature in 2006, the whole Congressional process will have to start all over again next year after a new Congress is elected," Mulford had said.
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